Inspirational Graduates

Charlie's an Arts graduate who, like us, is at home chatting in a foreign language over a beer and developing his career in the sunshine. He's now living in Mexico City juggling working for Amnesty International, whilst English teaching, blog writing and playing the odd concert with his geetar! He's a great example of not letting it all stress you out. Create opportunities for yourself and so many other doors will open. Read on to find out more...

​​1) Where and what did you study and when did you graduate?I officially studied History with Study in French (a ridiculous name for something that was just History and French) at the University of Bristol. I graduated in 2013.

2) Where do you live now?I’m currently living in Mexico City.

3) Tell us about your job...Well, it’s more like two jobs. I am a volunteer Campaigns and Research Assistant at Amnesty International’s Regional Office for the Americas, which is based here in Mexico City. On a day to day basis, I do a lot of administrative tasks, calling people up and requesting meetings for my seniors, transcribing interviews, translating documents from Spanish to English - can be anything depending on whatever is urgently needed that day! Everything I do is in Spanish, which is great for me, as language learning is my biggest obsession, and I’m thinking of trying to get into interpreting (although my future plans tend to change week on week!). The field of human rights is as challenging as it is rewarding and I’m learning every day. I also work online as an English and French teacher, with a site called iTalki. That keeps me in tortillas and beer, and it’s also fantastic because I get to meet students from all round the world. I also keep up a variety of side projects, including blogging about my life in Mexico and language learning projects, and occasionally getting my guitar out and doing the odd concert here!

4) What did you want to be when you were younger?I think it flitted between either a professional cricketer or professional footballer depending on which season it was! My teenage years were also suitably spent thinking that my rock band was going to go stratospheric, whilst doodling anarchy signs on my schoolbooks without having a clue what that meant.

5) What did you do immediately after leaving university?Immediately after finishing my exams I moved back to my hometown of Chichester to work for a medical insurance company, answering client’s calls about their holidays and insurance details (‘Do I need a visa to go to Spain?’ was a particular classic, as well as the chap who wanted advice on carp fishing in Guinea-Bissau). I was really lucky to be able to live at home and raise some cash, which I desperately needed due to my imminent move to Mexico, where I went to work with the British Council’s Language Assistant Programme, working as an English teacher in Mexico City. I fell in love with teaching and I fell in love with the country, although things were often a little complicated at first. I accidentally got adopted by a Mexican family who I’m living with during my second (current) stay here, which was one of the most amazing happenings of my short life. My immediate post graduate experience set the foundations for almost everything I’m doing now.

6) How did you feel about your future when you graduated?Incredibly positive actually, perhaps even too much so. I was looking forward to life after university so much maybe I didn’t make as much of my last year at Bristol as I should have done. My third year studying abroad in Bordeaux had been so wonderful I was itching to head out of the country again.

7) If you could go back, what would you say to yourself on graduation day?Don’t drink! I rushed back with my parents to play in a five-a-side football match and think the three glasses of wine I consumed significantly contributed to our defeat.

8) Would you have done anything different?Honestly, not much. There were lingering temptations to move to London and try and get on a graduate scheme, but I know now that that kind of life would have done me no good at all. I might have tried to have learnt more Spanish before I left, because house hunting and making friends when I arrived in Mexico City was seriously complicated when I arrived because of how terrible my language skills were. In university terms, I do kind of wish sometimes I hadn’t spent so much money in awful clubs and joined some more societies, particularly outdoor ones.

9) What inspires you?Perhaps more than anything, new experience. As cliched as it sounds, I read Kerouac’s On the Road when I was in India at nineteen, and it absolutely confirmed to me the kind of life I wanted to live - constantly meeting new people and getting to know new places. A great chat in a language that isn’t my mother tongue, usually over a beer, usually leaves me with a warm feeling that life is worth it! The fact that my amazing family supports me is also a massive inspiration that I couldn’t live without.

10) What would you like to say to our graduates looking for inspiration?Firstly - and most importantly - not knowing what you want to do is a strength, not a weakness. There is nothing you should be doing, no matter what anyone says. I’m now going to utterly contradict that statement with my second point. Second point - if you don’t know what you want to do, you could do a lot worse than being an English teacher abroad (I’d really recommend the Language Assistants Programme with the British Council). You’ll meet loads of new people, probably learn a new language (if that’s your thing), get to know a new culture and you’ll probably fall into your next project by accident along the way. You’ll also be able to support yourself and really get to know the culture of the place in a way you wouldn’t if you just passed through. If you hate it, it’ll probably only be a maximum of one year of your life, and the UK isn’t going anywhere….

11) Your three favourite wordsadjunct, dew and órale (A Mexican exclamation that can mean about 20 different things depending on context and tone - from ‘I completely agree’ to ‘You’re obviously nuts’)

Thank you so much Charlie for taking the time to answer our questions. We hope that you keep living your dreams in Mexico City and write the odd song about it too! If you would like to find out more about Charlie's journey and his language learning escapades, check out Pincheguero Blog.

If you are, or know, an inspirational graduate living their dreams, please fill in the form on the right hand side of this page. We'd love to hear from you!

We met Emma at one of her yoga classes and her path is such an interesting one that we just had to interview her! Emma graduated with a Law degree from Southampton. She left university and went to work at a law firm but soon realised that her future wasn't in Law. Emma decided to travel through South America, whilst teaching English and then trained to be a yoga teacher in Bali. Yoga had been her passion throughout her law degree. She eventually left law behind her and now she has her own business teaching yoga on the beautiful island of Jersey...

1) Where and what did you study and when did you graduate? I studied Law at Southampton and Graduated in 2007

2) Where do you live now?I currently Live on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands (where I was born)

3) Tell us about your job...For the last 6 years I have been exploring my passion. After qualifying to teach yoga in 2011 in Bali, I slowly started to move away from the full time 9-5 job and went into teaching Yoga. On a weekly basis now I teach a range of Yoga classes for everyone, I specalise in hatha/vinyasa, pregnancy, mother and baby, yoga for the special child and sports rehabilitation yoga.

I have been lucky enough to teach yoga all around the world. My yoga teaching took me to beautiful places such as Costa Rica, Bali, Morrocco and London, and I have plans to hold retreats in other places.

I also studied TESOL - Teaching Enlglish to Speakers of other Languages. This was an amazing course and It means I can travel and teach English all over the world. During the summer holidays I currently teach English to the foreign students that come to Jersey.

4) What did you want to be when you were younger?I wanted to be an Actress. However when applying to Uni, I wanted to studied something sports and health related.

5) What did you do immediately after leaving university?I went in work in a Law firm.

6) How did you feel about your future when you graduated?After I graduated, I didn't see there was many opportunities out there for me apart from working in a Law firm, in an office, as that is what I did in my degree. Even though this was a great degree with many interesting aspects and enabled me to get a job post-university, I found it hard to find a job in something I was really interested in. I wanted to work in Mental health law and Children's law but there never seemed to be any jobs available in these areas. It seemed like there was a strict route you had to follow and that was that!

I soon realised that Law wasn't for me and that there is a big wide world out there and my learning and growing would come from exploring the world and meeting people from other countries. So that is what I did! I worked various jobs to save money and went to South America for 4 months. This is where the real growing came from. I knew after this trip I had to do what I loved and that was my Yoga.My love for yoga started while I was studying at university and this is what kept me grounded. I knew this was something quite special and many people needed this. So I kept exploring and studying what yoga was. I knew I wanted to share this with others. I also loved seeing other countries that is why I decided to do some of my study in Bali.7) If you could go back, what would you say to yourself on graduation day? Well done you did it ...now follow your dreams!8) Would you have done anything different?I wouldn't have studied Law, I fell into that because I didn't get into the courses I really wanted to do as I didn't have the correct grades in science.9) What inspires you?People following their hearts and not settling for anything less10) What would you like to say to our graduates looking for inspiration?You have one life, live it just the way you want. Nothing as impossible, as you really can do anything you desire if your heart is passionate about it. One of my favourite quotes is "it's about the journey not the destination".11) Your three favourite wordsLush, awesome and yoga ​

Thank you so much Emma for your time, she's definitely one of the coolest law graduates we know! If you would like more information about Emma's work check out her website and like her on facebook.

If you are, or know, any cool graduates, do drop us a message using the form on the right hand side of this page. We'd love to hear from you!

Becky and Kevin could potentially be one of the coolest couples ever. They both graduated with great degrees from Exeter University and then they moved to Hong Kong to set up a surf school. After 5 years of running their own surf school, they then moved to the Maldives to run all surf activities at a resort hotel. They run the super cool blog Surf Work Travel. Kevin and Becky will prove to you that anything is possible!

1) Where and what did you study and when did you graduate?We both met and studied at Exeter University UK, I (Becky) studied biology and Kevin studied law. Kevin graduated first in 2007 and I completed my degree in 2010.

2) Where do you live now?Since graduating we have spent time in Hong Kong, Ireland, Philippines, Sri Lanka and we are now living in the Maldives.

3) Tell us about your job...We work at the Four Seasons, Kuda Huraa, Maldives. We are in charge of all surfing related activities for the guests. Its an amazing place to live but resort life comes with some pretty restrictive rules. If you can deal with those though you can really enjoy yourself. Someone said once its like living in the worlds most beautiful jail [curious about what they mean? Read their blog post]

4) What did you want to be when you were younger?When I was younger I wanted to be a vet or something science related. Kevin was very outdoorsy and wanted to either live in the woods, exploring or do some kind-of environmental law.

5) What did you do immediately after leaving university?Straight after Uni we both went over to HK for a quick trip. We had planned to go and travel around NZ. After working in various surf schools around Europe and witnessing that magical first wave of many customers, we got hooked and wanted to continue to share that epic feeling. So in 2011 we founded Hong Kongs’ first professional surf school,bringing international standards of safety to the local community. After 4 years of developing the school from a broken-down shack on the beach into a surfing & outdoor education centre catering to school camps of 50+ children and daily lessons, we decided it was time to move on in pursuit of new opportunities around the globe and continue to share our passion. We still haven’t made it to NZ!

6) How did you feel about your future when you graduated?We weren’t too fussed as we both knew we wanted to do some traveling and exploring before settling down and working, funny thing is though that the work ended up finding us! Like we said in our interview with Cooler Magazine – our goal was to work somewhere we loved, so we didn’t have to leave to go on holiday.

7) If you could go back, what would you say to yourself on graduation day?I would say…. Maybe I should have gone to the gym more haha. We both ate a lot at uni and we probably could have done with a bit more exercise!!

8) Would you have done anything different?We always think that, in hindsight we could have worked harder, we could have pushed for that 1st. However all the lessons learn lead us to where we are now, which is hanging out in the Maldives. Its a fantastic lifestyle that we wouldn’t swap for the world.

9) What inspires you?For me personally (Becky) I’m really inspired by people who work hard and have gone on to develop fantastic companies you can look up to. Companies that have a great relationship with their employees like Virgin and the Four Seasons. Kevin is inspired more about the unknown, he loves to explore and push his limits.

10) What would you like to say to our graduates looking for inspiration?To be open, if you're unsure about what you want to do just keep your paths open for all different possibilities. If you are eager to succeed, be willing to work hard and have a good attitude then you will be fine no matter what!

11) Your three favourite wordsSurf Work and Travel!

Thank you so much to Kevin and Becky for taking the time out of your tropical lives to answer our questions. We wish you all the best with your surf, yoga and travelling, you're both such brilliant examples of what we are all about at The Cool Graduate! Find out more about their journey by reading their comprehensive blog, Surf Work Travel.

Are you, or do you know, a cool graduate we could interview for this feature? Fill in the form on the right hand side of this page and we'll get back to you!

Dave travelled for 8 months in South America after graduating and then did an MSc in Sustainable Aquaculture Development. Having spent time in Bangladesh for his MSc research, Dave had the opportunity to move out to Malawi and work on a project close to his heart; sustainable fishing. Pursuing his passion for nature and conservation has opened up opportunities that he never imagined possible! Read on to discover what Dave says about taking your time to follow your passions post-graduation...

1) Where and what did you study and when did you graduate?For my BSc I studied Environmental Science: Ecology at Oxford Brookes University, graduating in 2013. For my MSc I studied Sustainable Aquaculture Development at University of Stirling, graduating in 2015.

2) Where do you live now?Chikwawa, Southern Malawi

3) Tell us about your job...I am an aquaculture development consultant, working as a farm manager at several project sites in southern Malawi. We are growing a species called Oreochromis shiranus from the tilapia family (a very common fish in aquaculture across Africa and Asia), because it is a familiar fish for the people in the surrounding districts. Up until recent years these and similar species were found in abundance in the rivers and lakes of Malawi, but as a result of over-exploitation, the fisheries are now in severe decline. The goal of the project is to provide local communities with a sustainable supply of protein and to share the exciting potential that aquaculture has within the region.

As well as the day to day management of farm activities and organising production cycles, I am also responsible for liaising with other small-scale farmers, providing technical support as they attempt to set up their own ponds and ensuring that they are linked with suitable suppliers and markets. It’s a great place to work because I get to see the development of a relatively new industry which is so crucial from a sustainability point of view. The workers on the farms are so keen to learn new skills and see their farms succeed, it is very inspiring.

4) What did you want to be when you were younger?The next David Attenborough, I loved the idea of communicating the beautiful things in nature with other people. I always liked the idea of being a Movie star too...

5) What did you do immediately after leaving university?I got a job working as a Sales Executive in a telecommunications company – it was a bit of a means to an ends really. I was saving to travel through Central and South America. The role was a great experience though, I gained valuable experience, met some great people and discovered that I couldn’t function properly in a typical office environment. I worked with the telecommunications company for approx. 8 months and then set off, travelling from southern Mexico, down through Central America to Panama, and then from Ecuador south to Argentina, over a period of 7 months (not nearly enough time). I had always been fascinated by South America, it’s history, different landscapes and many cultures so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to go and spend a good amount of time there. I visited a lot of the typical hotspots, but also tried hard to step off the well-trodden track; like renting a beach house in northern Nicaragua and learning to surf, to camping on an isolated beach and watching thunderstorms over the Pacific Ocean. It was also during this time that I was accepted onto the MSc course to study Aquaculture so I knew I needed to return back for this.

6) How did you feel about your future when you graduated?I was excited, I had a short-term plan but no fixed career aspirations. I knew that I wanted to continue learning and study an MSc if possible. I wasn’t in any rush to find the wrong job, I really wanted to explore my options and do some backpacking.

7) If you could go back, what would you say to yourself on graduation day?Enjoy yourself and take the time to spend some more precious moments with your friends and lecturers. It’s amazing how hard it can be to keep in touch, let alone see people from University once you leave.

8) Would you have done anything different?​Nothing at all, I had a really good time that summer after my undergrad graduation. Starting work immediately allowed me to keep a good routine going, but in my opinion it was essential that I had the short-term plan of going away; this enabled me to stay motivated and focused. Furthermore it encouraged me to make the most of the opportunities I had over those 8 months in work pre-travelling, a mind-set that I have tried to carry with me since. After graduating from my MSc, I took my time looking for the right kind of jobs that fit my interests and aspirations. I gained great experience working as an intern at a Fisheries Consultancy and when the right job opportunity came up I was ready and available to grab it with both hands.

9) What inspires you?Conserving natural beauty and seeing other people realise how precious our natural surroundings are. Not necessarily in traditional ways... For example, I think that we need to be more forward thinking in our environmental management techniques as a planet, but this often starts at the individual and community level. I really love communicating with people about sustainable fisheries management and the future prospects for all forms of aquaculture; from clams to tuna.

10) What would you like to say to our graduates looking for inspiration?Take the time to stop and think about what you care about and what you enjoy. Find a job that allows you to work in an area that you are truly passionate about. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you need to be doing something that you don’t enjoy. Make mistakes while you are young as well!

11) Your three favourite wordsDetermination, Courage and Humility

Thank you Dave for being so enthusiastic about sharing your experiences and inspiring others. We wish you all the best for your fishery adventures in Malawi and whatever the future holds for you!

Are you, or do you know, an inspirational graduate? Fill out the form on the right hand side and we'll get back to you!

Joe makes getting into the competitive media industry look so easy! After graduating in 2011, Joe started work as a runner working with Sky Sports during the cricket season. With an initial foot in the door, Joe used his initiative and belief in himself to keep the door open! In 2015 he went freelance and has never looked back. Joe has worked for the BAFTA's, X Factor, the Winter Olympics to name but a few. Read on for his impressive story and brilliant advice...​1) Where and what did you study and when did you graduate?I studied Film and Television Production at York St John University in York, graduating in July 2011.

2) Where do you live now?I live in Reigate, Surrey, UK.

3) Tell us about your job...I’m a freelance camera operator and guarantee, specialising in live television broadcast production. When camera guaranteeing a job I’m effectively responsible for overseeing the rigging, setup and testing of all the camera equipment, ensuring any problems are dealt with throughout the production and all the kit is returned ready for the next production. For some jobs I’m booked as a camera operator, some as a camera guarantee, and more often than not I’ll be booked to do both.

My work takes me to some weird and wonderful places, both in the UK and abroad, and getting to travel whilst working has always been important to me. I’ve worked on a wide range of things from the BAFTAS, X Factor, Brit Awards, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and music festivals in the entertainment sector, to the Winter Olympics, The Ashes, PDC Darts, Golf, MotoGP and Horse Racing in the sports sector. Getting to work in different places including Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia and Dubai is great fun and a good opportunity to see different cultures and meet interesting people. It’s a crazy job and I love it!

4) What did you want to be when you were younger?Originally I wanted to go into music as I’ve always had music around me and started learning instruments from a young age. However I was also very into my photography and that progressed into an interest in filmmaking. I got the bug, made a plan and it went from there. That’s not to say my passion for music hasn’t died as I still produce music on the side when I get time off from filming!

5) What did you do immediately after leaving university?I was quite fortunate when I left university as I’d already started working as a runner on the cricket season for Sky Sports before I’d graduated. That was a 6 month contract with an outside broadcast company, then I continued to bug them for more work and managed to get enough to pay my rent until the end of the year when they offered me a full time job. I stayed with them for 3 and a half years before going freelance in 2015 and have never looked back.

6) How did you feel about your future when you graduated?I was nervous about going into such a competitive industry and knew I needed to rise above the rest in order to get noticed and end up where I wanted to be. There were many times where the thought of giving up and settling for a steady income job behind a desk was very tempting, though I knew I’d waste my life doing something I didn’t enjoy and be bored out of my mind.

"Why would you want to work towards someone else’s dreams when you can work towards your own? Believing in myself is definitely what kept me going!"

7) If you could go back, what would you say to yourself on graduation day?Don’t listen to the naysayers, learn from those that give up, take every opportunity you can, and BE YOURSELF. If something’s not working for you, adapt and change it so it does. Remember you’re in control, it’s your life and you only get one.

8) Would you have done anything different?I’ve always had a passion for all things music, though the career opportunities during school always seemed to point towards teaching. Making it big in a band seemed an eternity away and I decided to keep music as a hobby. Had I known at the time there were so many different avenues for careers in music, things may have gone differently. Ever since then I have missed the music in my life and by going freelance, I have now freed up enough time to pursue both passions of mine. So again, adapting and staying in control is key.

9) What inspires you?People who make something out of nothing. The ability to grow an idea in the mind to something incredible through steely determination and complete belief in yourself is truly inspirational. It’s a solid example that anything is possible and you can do and be whatever you like when you put your mind to it.

10) What would you like to say to our graduates looking for inspiration?Listen and learn from your idols, but don’t dwell on their success. It helps to remember they all started from the same point in this world, so anyone can do anything. Put what you’ve learnt into practice and be the next inspiration to others after you.

"Don’t worry if you’re not doing exactly what you want to do as soon as you graduate. Things take time and use the opportunities you get as stepping stones to end up where you want to be."

You may underestimate the valuable skills you can learn on your journey and take with you otherwise. Having a long term plan of how you’re going to reach where you want to be is useful and keeps you focused, though don’t take it as gospel. Things change and so do you, so don’t worry if it doesn’t seem to be going to plan. Be adaptable to changing situations and you’ll be on top. Life is unpredictable, life is exciting, so don’t try too hard to plan it and let life carry you!​11) Your three favourite wordsLive for now.

Thank you so much Joe for your time, we wish you every success with your TV work and your music. Don't hesitate to 'like', 'share' or leave a comment below, let us know what you think!

Will's rise to blogging success is a story to inspire any budding writer, blogger or traveller. Having graduated in 2012, Will is now a professional traveller. He has over 60,000 followers on Twitter and is embarking on one of his craziest adventures yet - travelling overland from the UK to Papua New Guinea, without stepping foot on an aeroplane...oh and he's doing it over 2 years with only $10,000 in his pocket. He has a true thirst for adventure and travel madness, and has managed to create the perfect career for himself, which allows him to do everything that he loves, while making money. Read on...!

1. Where and what did you study and when did you graduate?I studied flexible combined honours in glacial geography and middle eastern conflict studies at the University of Exeter

2. Where do you live now?Right now, I am in Bosnia. I have just started a two to three year trip from the UK to Papua New Guinea, without the use of flights. I’ve been travelling for the last seven years. Eventually, I plan to open a chain of very special hostels across South America.

3. Tell us about your job...My job is pretty hard to sum up but I shall do my best! I run www.thebrokebackpacker.com, an adventure travel blog I started 18 months ago which focuses on providing information on real budget adventures around the world. I use this site to chronicle my own adventures and to help inspire others to ditch their desks and hit the road. I also work on a freelance basis for numerous publications including The BBC, news.com.au and Buzzfeed. I write, create (amateur as hell) videos and aim to explore lesser visited countries in the hope of breaking down cultural barriers and demonstrating that there are cool folks and epic experiences to be had all over the world; all you have to do is go look.

4) What did you want to be when you were younger?I wanted to join the marines. This dream was shattered when, at 19, I was hospitalised for two weeks in Costa Rica. My leg was going to be amputated following a serious jungle infection. Luckily, my insurance company insisted on flying me back to England and my leg was saved. Unfortunately, it was permanently damaged. Shit happens and in this instance it worked out for the best.

5) What did you do immediately after leaving university?I bought a one-way flight to India and, following a difficult break-up, ran away from my problems.

6) How did you feel about your future when you graduated?Concerned. I had no idea what the heck I wanted to do. I did know that I didn’t want to work unless I could find something I was passionate about. Getting the job for the sake of it seemed like a huge waste of energy. I had a little bit of cash saved from unloading lorries and I was already well versed in extreme budget travel, I knew I could survive a long time on the road and this gave me confidence that I would, hopefully, have time to figure my shit out.

7) If you could go back, what would you say to yourself on graduation day?I didn’t attend my graduation day. I think my Mum has my degree certificate somewhere. I suppose, if I was to go back and to speak to myself at the beginning of my Indian adventure, I would have said – “Man, a lot of the time, this isn’t going to seem like it’s worth it. You will be tired, you will be hungry, you will be scared. On a couple of occasions, you will come close to dying yet again. All of these experiences will build your resilience. This will be the most valuable educational experience you ever embark upon. Stick with it and have faith, everything will fall into place.”

8) Would you have done anything different?There is so much I would have done differently and yet, fuck knows where I would have ended up if I had not have to go through some difficult times over the last few years. A lesson I have learnt only relatively recently; whilst there is always room for kindness, there should be limited time for bullshit. If somebody is an uncompromising drain on your mental resources, cut them loose. It is extremely important that you try to surround yourself with people who have the characteristics which you too hope to cultivate; find inspiring, energetic and driven people and learn from them. 9) What inspires you?I am inspired by so many different things, this is hard to pinpoint. Mostly, I am inspired by the incredible lengths which human beings can be pushed to when they are passionate. The bar can be raised again and again and again. My own aim in life is to push myself as far as I possibly can, to scare the shit out of myself again and again in an effort to evolve and to learn. Three of my heroes are Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Jack Kerouac and Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett.10) What would you like to say to our graduates looking for inspiration?If you really want to be happy in life, having a job you are passionate about can go a long way towards making that happen. It is extremely unlikely that your first job shall be your last. Do not be afraid to quit. You should try one hundred things before you decide upon which course to direct your energies. Travelling is a very good space to try and figure shit out and, if you have the opportunity, you should take the time to travel. You will likely work for fifty years, you can put getting a job off for a couple of years. In my opinion, being your own boss is the only way to move forwards. Find your passion, embrace it, put in the time and the energy and you shall succeed.11) Your three favourite wordsMy favourite phrase – There are no limits to what can be achieved.My three favourite words – awesome, fuck, ​dig (as in, 'I dig it!')

Thank you so much Will for your honest and inspiring interview. We wish you all the best of luck on your crazy adventures. Keep inspiring others and being yourself!

This week we chatted to Charlie Marchant from CharlieOnTravel.com. We love Charlie because she proves that you don't have to stick to doing one thing, and that by doing what you love, you can create yourself a unique, successful career, which doesn't have to tie you down to one place. She's aced professional development and travel. She sums up what The Cool Graduate is all about.So here goes, meet the lovely Charlie...

1) Where and what did you study and when did you graduate?I studied English at the University of Exeter in the UK and graduated in 2012.

2) Where do you live now?I don’t live in just one place now! I travel full-time, which means I’m always based in different places around the world. Most often I house sit - meaning that I look after other people’s homes while they’re away on holiday - and this is usually for expats living abroad. Most recently I’ve house sat in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala.​3) Tell us about your job...I work as a freelance writer now. I started writing a travel blog about sustainable, slow travel a couple of years ago called Charlie on Travel. I only make a very, very small income directly through my travel blog, but I’ve gotten a lot of writing work off the back of it. I’m currently working for a UK digital marketing company where I’m the head of PR Outreach and Content Marketing. I manage a team of 15 other writers there. I work 100% remotely, I’ve still never met my boss in person, I can work from anywhere in the world and I absolutely love my job.

4) What did you want to be when you were younger?I had no idea what I wanted to be really. I dreamed of being a writer as a child for a really long time, but everyone told me it was an impossible dream and that I’d need to write every day from a very young age to make it possible. I thought about other careers - teaching, advertising, corporate marketing, script writing, researching, film production - while I was growing up and through uni, but none of them ever really appealed to me. I started work as a writer in 2013, so it just goes to show that dreams can become a reality and that not everyone’s advice water tight.

5) What did you do immediately after leaving university?Immediately after university, I took on two internships. One with Picturehouse Cinemas head office in a marketing role, and the second with BBC Films in a research position. I enjoyed both of my internships a lot and aspired to work in the film industry at the time. However, they were tiring, the commutes to London were long, and I didn’t like working for free. I doubted a lot whether doing an English degree had been worthwhile - a feeling which I don’t think is uncommon amongst English Literature graduates.

After finishing my internships, I moved to Taiwan with my boyfriend to teach English as a Second Language (ESL). I hadn’t planned on doing this at all and made the decision based on my boyfriend’s plans after finishing uni. I didn’t have a TEFL but you don’t need one to teach in Taiwan if English is your native language and you have an English degree from the UK. I studied Taiwan cinema at university, so I was relatively clued in on what life in Taiwan would be like. It was a good year and although teaching isn’t the career for me, I learned a lot from it about what it’s like living in a different country, a completely different culture and my ability to adapt to that.

6) How did you feel about your future when you graduated?I was really unsure about my future when I graduated. I remember thinking that all the hours I spent applying for marketing jobs in the UK while I was at university hadn’t paid off. I thought a lot about whether my decision to take on an English degree was a smart one, or whether I should have picked a more practical degree that would definitely lead to a job. I also felt like I wanted to see more of the world because Exeter is a small place.

7) If you could go back, what would you say to yourself on graduation day?I would say to just continue as I was doing. That there was no reason not to take chances. To go for every opportunity and see what comes of it. That’s what I did at the time, but I was nervous about it for sure. I would tell my younger self to do it with a bit of confidence instead.

8) Would you have done anything different?I would definitely have started blogging properly much earlier! But other than that, no, I don’t think so. I don’t tend to look back and reflect on life like that. I like to think that you make the mistakes you’ve got to make, learn the lessons you’ve got to learn and then keep going without making them again. Maybe I would have taken a more practical degree subject still, but actually when I was 17 I don’t think I really would’ve known what a better degree choice would’ve been and in doing so I might’ve shaped my future very differently from how it is now.

9) What inspires you?Travel inspires me. New places, new people, new cultures, all those things inspire me. I don’t feel the need to be settled in one place, I don’t want that at all. I want to have all these new experiences and feel like I’m learning every single day.​10) What would you like to say to our graduates looking for inspiration?Don’t think that anything is beyond your reach. And don’t think too hard either. I’m a very calculated person who agonises over decisions and researches like crazy, but actually it’s better to just go for things. There’s an element of uncertainty in everything, sometimes you’ve just got to try it, even if you don’t know what it is yet.

11) Your three favourite wordsI have two: pura vida. It’s a Costa Rican saying which means “pure life.” Ticos use it in a flexible way to express things like take it easy, don’t worry, keep well, life is good.